BIG INNING PUSHES GRIZZLIES TO SECOND STRAIGHT WIN
SAUGET, Ill. — Shawon Dunston Jr. drove a three-run home run over the right-field wall in the fifth inning Wednesday to give the Gateway Grizzlies the lead and Connor Owings followed with a two-run shot later in the frame to push the Grizzlies to a 7-3 win over the River City Rascals at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
Gateway (14-15) has won back-to-back games and five of its last six; the Grizzlies have won back-to-back series for the first time since May 16.
River City (16-13) scored in the top of the first inning for the second game in a row. Jamey Smart grounded an RBI single through the right side of the infield to answer for the Grizzlies in the home half, but the Rascals took the lead back with another run in the second.
The 2-1 Rascals lead held until Dunston Jr. and Owings launched their fifth-inning home runs. Dunston Jr.'s was his third of the season and Owings' was his team-leading fifth big fly and second in his last two games. His RBI total reached 23, second in the Frontier League and best on the team. Smart is close behind with 22 batted in, fourth-most in the league.
Cody Luther (2-1) earned his second straight win. He allowed three runs over 5 1/3 innings and struck out five.
Patrick Boyle, Geoff Bramblett, Jason Seever, and Dakota Smith combined to toss 3 2/3 scoreless innings out of the Grizzlies' bullpen. Grizzlies pitchers have allowed only six earned runs over their last six games.
Brent Sakurai extended his team-best hitting streak to 13 games.
Gateway will try for its first sweep of 2019 in the finale Thursday against River City at 7:05 p.m. CDT at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
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ABOUT THE GATEWAY GRIZZLIES: The Gateway Grizzlies are a professional baseball team, located a mere 100-yards from I-255 (10 minutes from downtown St. Louis). The Grizzlies offer baseball fans entertainment, the likes of which are difficult to find - affordable, family, fun in the comfortable GCS Credit Union Ballpark with a great view of the St. Louis skyline. For tickets or general information please visit gatewaygrizzlies.com or call 618.337.3000.
ABOUT THE FRONTIER LEAGUE: The Frontier League is a professional, independent baseball organization. Since its inception, the Frontier League has provided millions of fans to a fun and exciting baseball experience within the American Midwest. Consisting of 10 teams in two divisions and 96 game schedules, the league is recognized for the amount of talented athletes that are picked up by various MLB teams every year.